Brooke Tarshis made the trip out to Syracuse on Friday, January 27, representing Pine Bush and Section 9 at the first-ever NYSPHSAA Girls’ Wrestling Invitational.

The junior advanced all the way to the championship round of the 120-pound weight class, but was pinned in the third period by Seaford’s Ashley Diaz.

Tarshis was the runner-up for her division and stood at the number two spot on the NYSPHSAA podium.

“She had two first period pins and a tech fall against some very good wrestlers, to get to the final,” said Pine Bush coach Patrick Sause. “She’s been wrestling ever since she was little. It was a hard-fought match at the end and unfortunately it just didn’t go her way.”

Tarshis began her day at Onondaga Community College against Bella Silvestri of Chenango Forks. The Pine Bush junior earned a pin in one minute and twenty seconds, advancing to the quarterfinals.

Up against East Rochester senior Jayme Taylor, Tarshis earned a win in dominating fashion, with a 16-1 technical fall. After earning four points in the first period from a takedown and nearfall, she picked up ten more in the second period - including three nearfalls and two takedowns. Tarshis closed things out in the third with another nearfall.

The 120-pounder earned her spot in the title match by defeating Columbia’s Bella Satalino with a first-period pin, one minute and 36 seconds into the semifinal contest.

“She’s really good on her feet. She’s very strong and can pop and just has a lot of confidence out there,” Sause said. “She’ll be back here next year, and we still have our sectional tournament to look forward to.”

Tarshis is 12-8 overall in mixed competition this season. Friday’s loss to Diaz was her first in girls competition, where she is now 8-1.

In addition to Minisink Valley and Saugerties, Pine Bush was one of just three schools from Section 9 to be represented at the girls’ wrestling invitational. With the sport of girls wrestling expanding greatly over the past year, NYSPHSAA created the concept of the state invitational. Should the sport continue to expand to more sections throughout the state, there will eventually be a full state tournament, like the boys tournament held annually at MVP Arena in Albany.

Earlier in January, Tarshis competed at the Eastern States Classic tournament at Sullivan County Community College, where she won the 120-pound championship.

At that event, she earned two first period pins, including one in 58 seconds over Port Jervis’ Alyssa Reed, in the finals.